“I can tell myself I should be approaching this differently. I should be having a different kōrero.”
Moana is a Prime Manaaki in a residential home for psychiatric patients. Taking care of her whānau, on a daily basis, requires interaction with various support workers and organisations in the community. Moana says, ‘Sometimes these different groups have differing ideologies that need to be negotiated. They look through a different lens.’
Moana believes she manages herself more effectively since completing the course, ‘Now I think oh is that how I should do it, or okay no wonder I’m getting this response from them when I should have been approaching it from a different angle. I should have been having a different kōrero.’
Moana attends hui with the hospital and within her workplace sets goals and maintains quarterly medical assessment records for her whānau. So, ‘setting goals for this course filled the gap that I had.’
During the course she learnt about the different types of communication with stakeholders. ‘I learnt a lot about relationships. We always try to make and strengthen these. We need a strong relationship with stakeholders whatever their attitudes are, because of the relationship they have with our whānau. So, you’ve got to rein yourself back in sometimes and keep professional about it.’
She continues, ‘One of the key things for me was learning leadership skills. That’s why I picked up this course. It gave me an introduction to team leadership, how to work and communicate with staff. I’ve worked in leadership roles, but I’ve really avoided it as much as I’ve been able to. But now I have to step up. So, it’s important to learn. I also believe if you treat your staff right, then they’ll be more productive. I want to treat them fair and just and equally. Because regardless of management, the people on the ground are doing the really important work.’